Bob Archives - MomStart

Share Why Your Dog is a Star & Purina Will Donate to Mutt-i-Grees! #BHDogShow

March 27, 2018 by Beeb Leave a Comment

We’re a proud Purina Partner and have received compensation for this post.

Every dog owner knows that their furry friend is the real star of the family – which is why Purina is rolling out the red carpet to celebrate a star-studded event and raise money for a worthy cause! In honor of the Beverly Hills Dog Show Presented by Purina airing this Easter Sunday, Purina are inviting dog owners worldwide to do what they do best: Share a photo of your cute pooch! Through the “Every Dog is a Star” initiative, Purina is committing to donate $5 (up to $25,000) to Mutt-i-Grees when you share a photo or video of your dog star with the hashtag #BHDogShow. If you’re not already familiar, Mutt-i-Grees is a program by North Shore Animal League America that helps children build valuable life skills by interacting with shelter dogs. It’s easy to participate:

Share a photo or video between March 26th and April 8th showing why your dog is a star on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram tagging @Purina and using the hashtag #BHDogShow. For each original post, Purina will donate $5 (up to $25,000) to Mutt-i-Grees.

That’s it! These donations will help Mutt-i-Grees expand their program to more schools around the country to help teach empathy, kindness, and show the positive impact that pets have on our lives. An excuse to look at cute doggie photos AND raise money for a great cause, what more could you ask for?!

My dog is a star because he’s a survivor!

Our family Labrador, Bob, has been a true star this week. On Friday, he suddenly lost use of his paws and could barely walk. He was rushed to the vet and discovered that he had a compressed/bulging disc. Bob underwent surgery on his spine to repair it and, thankfully, will regain full use of his legs and make a total recovery. It’s been such a stressful ordeal – he had to travel 200 miles for treatment and spend all weekend at the vet after the surgery. He came home yesterday, and has four weeks of recovery ahead of him; he has strict orders to stay put in his bed, and is only supposed to go outside to potty 3 times a day. He can’t walk by himself yet, so he has to be carried out in a harness vest and take a plethora of medications three times a day. Through it all, Bob is still his sweet self despite everything he’s going through. He’s so happy to be at home again with his family and is taking everything in stride. We received a fun Hollywood-style gift bag in the mail today to get us ready for the Beverly Hills Dog Show Presented by Purina, and it’s perfect timing – this good boy deserves to be spoiled right now! He’ll be watching a lot of TV with Grammy while he’s laid up, so they can enjoy the first-ever Beverly Hills Dog Show Presented by Purina when it airs this Sunday, April 1st on USA at 6/5 p.m. ET/CT. There will be appearances by human and canine celebrities alike as they crown one special dog as its 2018 champion, so it’s sure to be a fun distraction after this long week! Perhaps the band Dogstar can come out of retirement and provide the music??

Don’t forget to share your pics with #BHDogShow – and feel free to link them in the comments so I can see all of your adorable dogs!

No Tricks, Only Treats This Halloween! #DogsofJustRight

October 29, 2016 by Beeb 5 Comments

This post is sponsored by the Just Right by Purina team.

It’s almost Halloween, my little ghosts and goblins! This is my favorite holiday, so of course the whole family gets involved, including the pets. For Bob’s “Howl-O-Ween” costume, he got dolled up in his fetching pumpkin scarf – cute, right?!

I’m not big on “Tricks”, so this Halloween we’ll be keeping it strictly to treats as we fill Bob’s bowl with his favorite treat of all, Just Right by Purina! There’s never any spooky surprises, because Bob’s Blend has been personalized for him with all natural ingredients. It’s important to us that Bob gets natural, grain free food in order to provide him with optimal nutrition. And since Bob’s Blend is tailored to his taste preferences, every bag starts with real lamb as the first ingredient, making it a delicious treat indeed!

Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!

Once Bob got his treat, we continued the Halloween celebrations by surprising him with a pair of spooky Halloween chewy toys!

Boo!

For me?!

Om nom nom

Caring for your pets means including them as part of the family – in all celebrations! For us, taking care of Bob means providing him with good food, stimulating toys and activities, and quality time as we enjoy autumn together. Now that’s a frightfully fun way to spend All Hallow’s Eve!

Do you have any fun Halloween plans this weekend? Are your pets wearing a costume?

3 Takeaways From The Purina Better With Pets Summit #LetsLiveBig

October 28, 2016 by Beeb 5 Comments

MomStart is a proud Purina Partner. Travel consideration and sponsorship provided.

Last week, I flew to New York City to attend the Purina Better With Pets Summit at the Brooklyn Expo Center. This annual summit is hosted by Nestlé Purina as a way to explore how we can improve the well-being of pets and, in turn, make the world a better place for everyone.

I arrived in NYC on Monday afternoon, where I attended a welcome reception at The William Vale and got registered for the summit. The event began the following morning, starting off with a breakfast where I had the chance to catch up with my blogger friends and their adorable pets!

Breakfast with Preston!

During the event, there were a number of hands-on booths to explore, with a variety of Purina products on hand along with Innovation Stations to explain some exciting pet food research findings.

Purina Innovation Stations

As a souvenir, I was able to have a custom Purina dog tag engraved with Bob’s name and phone number, which he looks very handsome in!

The day’s sessions consisted of a series of keynotes and panels that brought together experts in fields such as veterinary medicine, science, and philanthropy. Through these sessions, I got a first-hand look at the future of petcare and how dedicated individuals are thinking outside of the box to improve our world.

Welcome keynote from Nina Leigh Krueger, President of Purina PetCare Company, U.S.

1. Safety First: Quality in Pet Food is Paramount

When it comes to feeding our animals, safety is the #1 concern, so the first panel explored quality and safety guidelines in the pet food industry. Included in this discussion were John Bear, the Senior Vice President of Manufacturing at Purina whom I met during my trip to Purina Headquarters this summer, and Professor Shaun Kennedy of the University of Minnesota, who previously worked with the Department of Homeland Security as the Director of the National Center for Food Protection and Defense. Professor Kennedy has researched food safety, defense, and biosecurity, and gave insight into how federal and state pet food quality and safety standards are upheld. For Mr. Bear, pet food safety is a true passion, as I saw first-hand when he demonstrated Purina’s stringent quality checks when I first met him in St. Louis. Purina has 500 scientists and veterinarians on staff to assist with the process of developing and manufacturing their pet food, and every ingredient that goes into each bag has a purpose. It was fascinating to hear more about this process, and the panel also weighed in on the future of pet food manufacturing, noting that globalization will continue to change the pet food supply, as it is for humans as well – in the coming years, we can expect to see new ingredients and possibly new food sources. They also discussed the very futuristic concept of “Bio-meat” that could very well be a part of our future as we deal with environmental issues that could lead to a lack of meat and fish.

2. Passion For Pets Builds a Better World For Family & Community

Being passionate about the well-being of animals doesn’t just improve their lives; it also improves ours. I got to experience this myself during the event, where they had a “Puppy and Kitty Therapy Booth” on hand! Petting a sweet kitty helped distract me from feeling sick, thanks to an impacted wisdom tooth that showed up just a few days before my trip. It was no fun traveling on a cocktail of medication to treat the swelling in my face, but kitties make it all better!

Puppy therapy!

The second panel of the day discussed the impact of several initiatives that are harnessing this power to change human lives through pets, from North Shore Animal League weighing in on the power of rescue animals, to the community outreach of Purina Farms. The panel was introduced by Roben Harris, who shared the story of her 11-year-old daughter Selah, who was born with Spina Bifida and has endured 28 surgeries throughout her childhood. Thanks to the groundbreaking Purina Family Pet Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Selah was able to safely visit with her beloved Labradoodle while she recovered from one of these procedures. The St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s Senior Director for Corporate and Foundations, Flip Becker, has raised millions of dollars for the hospital and was instrumental in securing the gift from Purina which built the Purina Family Pet Center this year. He recounted numerous stories just like Selah’s, where hospitalized children have benefited immensely from interacting with their pets in a medically safe environment. They firmly believe that the future of integrative medicine will have more physicians embracing the healing power of animals.

Panel: How a Passion For Pets Builds a Better World

We also heard about the incredibly innovative work being done by URINYC, who created the URIPALS – URI People and Animals Living Safely domestic violence shelters in New York City. These are some of the few shelters in the nation that are equipped to accept pets, and was created in response to the sobering statistic that up to 48% of domestic violence victims stay in abusive situations because they don’t want to leave their pets behind. This is clearly a huge, yet hidden barrier for domestic violence victims in receiving help, so URINYC hope that the success of their programs will inspire other organizations across the country. They are also advocating for the Pet and Women Safety Act of 2015, which proposes greater legal protections for victims and their pets including grants for the creation of similar pet-accessible shelters.

In addition to donating three dog parks to URIPALS, Purina also provides welcome kits to survivors entering the shelters. During the summit, we had the privilege of helping to assemble some of these welcome kits with supplies for the survivors and their pets. I am so impressed by the important work that URINYC is doing and am so glad that I had the opportunity to be introduced to their mission.

3. Scientific Innovation is Making Life Better For Pets

Purina has a long history of innovation in pet food, so the third panel focused on how scientific research is leading to new breakthroughs in pet nutrition. One of these recent innovations led to Bob’s favorite food, Just Right by Purina, the personalized dog food that is tailored for each dog’s nutritional needs and preferences.

Also discussed was Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind, the food which was created with enhanced botanical oils to support cognitive health in adult dogs; and this lead in to an exciting announcement:

Purina’s newest advancement coming in 2017, Purina Pro Plan Prime Plus, was unveiled to us during the summit. This blend has been shown to improve and extend the life of cats ages 7 and up, making it the feline counterpart to Purina’s breakthrough blend for dogs. Of all the innovations discussed during the Purina Better With Pets Summit, I think this one will have the most positive impact on the lives of pets next year and I’m excited to share this first look with you!

How do your pets help you live a bigger life? Share your story on social media using the hashtag #LetsLiveBig, and don’t forget to follow Purina on Facebook, Twitter, and their newly-debuted Snapchat @PurinaPetCare!

Research, Quality & Community: Meet Purina

October 12, 2016 by Beeb 17 Comments

Travel consideration provided. MomStart is a proud Purina partner. Most photos courtesy Purina.

Our family have been using Purina products for some time now. When it comes to feeding Bob, it’s important that we trust what we give him, so the quality of Purina’s products have made us fans. So when I was invited to tour Nestle Purina Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, I welcomed the opportunity to learn more about the company and how they make the products that we use every day.

The first thing you notice when you enter Purina HQ is how everything has been set up for pets. The employees are encouraged to bring their pets with them into work, so every office is filled with puppies and kittens. Dream job, right? Our visit started with a tour of the beautiful grounds outside, which have been set up as a welcoming spot for employees to take breaks with their furry friends. There’s even a Koi pond where you can feed the fish!

Since Purina HQ is all about being pet-friendly, the bloggers were also invited to bring their pets along for the trip, so we were joined by some extra special friends during the tour!

Over the course of two days, we were completely immersed in everything Purina, from in-depth panels going over research to a behind-the-scenes look at the facilities.

History

To give us an idea of how Purina got started, we watched an interesting presentation about the history behind Purina, which was founded by William H. Danforth as a farm feed company in 1894.

Office cat peeked in through the window during one of our sessions!

Research

As we learned through Purina’s history, research and innovation have been key factors since the beginning. Purina is always looking for new and better pet food solutions, like the personalized food I create for Bob with Just Right by Purina, and I had no idea just how many pet food “Firsts” Purina had pioneered until my visit. I also had the chance to set foot into Purina’s Research Lab, which was so cool!

Taste

Of course, we may care about what goes into Bob’s Blend, but all he cares about is the flavor! That’s why we were treated to a special lunch at the Purina Culinary Center by Chef Amanda Hassner, who explained how she develops flavor combinations for pets inspired by trends in human food.

Manufacturing & Quality Control

While at Purina HQ, we learned about the steps that go into manufacturing pet food, along with a look at the quality control process. We sat in a room filled with dog and cat food, and watched the procedures for testing and checking Purina products. I volunteered to help with one of the demonstrations by inspecting kibble!

Meeting Face-to-Face

A photo posted by JUST RIGHT by Purina ? (@justrightpets) on Jun 23, 2016 at 4:04pm PDT

Purina set up a special brand immersion for their different pet food divisions, which gave me the opportunity to meet the Just Right team in person. As you know, we’ve been a Just Right partner for over a year now, so it was great to put faces to the names of the people that I’ve been talking to! They even had a cute bag with Bob’s picture waiting for me.

I also had a chance to step into the social media office, and say hi to the people that post Bob’s adorable photos on the Just Right Instagram page!

Community

Purina is also committed to the well-being of the whole community – both human, and animal. In addition to discussing research indicating the positive impact that pets can have during times of stress, we also learned about the various community programs that Purina supports to help with both animal and human welfare. I had the privilege of meeting the team behind URINYC, the Urban Resource Institute, who told us about their efforts to help victims of domestic violence. One area of need which they have identified is the necessity for shelters that can accept pets, as research has foud that up to 48 percent of domestic violence victims will stay in an abusive situation because they don’t want to leave their pet behind. This is a barrier to accessing help and very tragic for the families affected, as well as their pets. That is what inspired the launch of URIPALS – URI People and Animals Living Safely. They’ve launched a groundbreaking shelter program where victims of domestic violence are allowed to bring their animals with them, and Purina donated funds to create two dog parks within these shelters. Check out this factsheet from URINYC.org about their amazing organization:

Impact of Domestic Violence on Pets and Their Owners

Take Your Dog to Work Day!

To wrap up our trip, we celebrated “Take Your Dog to Work” day, where Purina had set up a variety of activities, including some amazing performances from very talented dogs!

We gathered in front of Purina HQ in an attempt to break the world record for most pets in a workplace, with a drone flying overhead to capture the action! I’m hidden somewhere in the crowd, just like Where’s Waldo!

I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up my trip to meet Purina than celebrating Take Your Dog to Work day with Purina’s employees and their pets!

Purina shot this fun video documenting the Meet Purina event – be sure to check it out and watch for what I had to say after my visit!

What About Bob? #SameNameDogDay #DogsofJustRight

September 24, 2016 by Beeb 21 Comments

This post is sponsored by the Just Right by Purina team.

Anytime someone asks what the family dog is named, they have a little chuckle when they hear “Bob”. It’s such a funny and human-sounding name for a dog! I’ll never forget how Bob got his moniker. It all started when our aunt Kim’s dog, Ruthie, had a batch of adorable Labrador puppies. Jai, Grandma and I went to her house to see the new pups and find out which one Grandma was going to adopt.

Grandma picked up a tiny little black puppy, held him up to me and said, “This is going to be MY dog, and I’m going to name him BOB!” And the rest was history!

Bob as a puppy

That was almost 7 years ago, and Bob has gotten a lot bigger since that photo was taken! For both humans and canines, new challenges can arise as you get older. As I mentioned briefly last month, Bob has been having leg pain that we have gone to multiple vets for some time trying to diagnose. Finally, we found out that the cause was a torn ACL. Considering that I had two dislocated kneecaps that took a solid year to diagnose, I can really sympathize with poor Bob! Fortunately, he’s had a successful surgery and is recovering well, so he can go back to being the spunky Bob he’s always been!

I don’t know about you, but when I’m recovering from something, I find it comforting to enjoy my favorite foods. So after Bob came home from the vet, we made sure to fill his bowl high with Just Right by Purina, Bob’s favorite delicious food that has been tailored specifically for his nutritional needs and preferences, with nutrient-dense ingredients to support him as he recovers. Not to mention, “Bob’s Blend” has a great ring to it!

No two dogs are alike – even if they happen to share the same name. Fido, anyone? That’s why Just Right by Purina are hosting Same Name Dog Day events all month long, culminating with one in Chicago today, September 24th! If you’re in the area, stop by Pioneer Court at Tribune Tower from 11 AM to 4 PM today to enjoy activities, take home custom souvenirs, speak with experts and create your dog’s own blend of personalized Just Right by Purina dog food! Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

What did you name your dog?

Who Says You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks? #DogsofJustRight

August 31, 2016 by Beeb 5 Comments

This post is sponsored by the Just Right by Purina team.

It’s important to spend time with your dog and keep his brain occupied to avoid boredom and destructive behavior. Working with your dog on a few simple tricks is a fun way to bond, so Bob and I wanted to share a few of his personal favorite tricks!

Fetch!

Bob is a Labrador, so he loves to fetch! Nothing gets him quite as excited as getting a new tennis ball to play with. He can run and fetch like a champ – sometimes he gets so excited about catching the ball that he doesn’t even want to give it back once he’s got it, but with a little patience, he’ll gladly return it for you to throw again…and again…and again…

Shake!

Normally, Bob can introduce himself by shaking paws, but his leg is sore right now, so until his vet appointment, we’re sticking with a more comfortable trick for him:

Sit!

Sit! Stay! Good boy!!

Training Tips

If you’re working to teach your dog a few new tricks, here’s a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Be patient. Training your dog to do a trick requires repetition and patience. Don’t expect your dog to start doing acrobatics overnight!

2. Start simple. Sit, stay and fetch are classic tricks for a reason – they’re straightforward, and easier to learn.

3. Reward your dog! When your dog does a trick, make sure you reward him with praise and excitement – he’s such a good boy, after all!

Bob's favorite trick - and favorite food!

Bob demonstrates his favorite trick for his favorite food!

Bob always appreciates a tasty treat when he’s done a good job with his tricks, so we can reward him with his favorite food: Just Right by Purina! Bob’s special blend was personalized for him, because a unique dog with signature tricks deserves food that is tailored for his preferences and nutritional needs to fuel those performances!

What tricks does your dog perform?

Giveaway: Get Smart With SmartBones! #SmartBonesChews

August 28, 2016 by Beeb 121 Comments

This is a partnered post.

Our boy Bob is the destroyer of dog treats. He’s huge for a Labrador, and can inhale a treat before you can even say “Sit”! Grammy gives him a bone to chew on every night, and when she picks out the bones for him, she tries to get big ones that will keep him busy for a while. So our family was excited to try out SmartBones®!

SmartBones are a new alternative to rawhide chews, which we were interested to try out in place of Bob’s usual nightly bone/chew. Designed to be highly digestible and rawhide-free, SmartBones are made with an outer layer of vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas. The inner layer contains real chicken, and there are several flavor varieties that add in other tasty treats like peanut butter and pork. We received several bags for Bob to taste test, and they were a huge hit – when he finished one, he couldn’t wait for the next!

We started our “Tasting” with Peanut Butter Stuffed Twistz. These chewy sticks include real peanut butter with a surprise center of pork. Mmmm!

About to try Peanut Butter Stuffed Twistz

The SmartBones Butcher’s Cut were so good, he could hardly wait for us to take them out of the package!

The Beef Classic Bone Chews are the largest of the chews we received, and took Bob about 15 minutes to work on. If you look carefully at the photo, you’ll notice him salivating as he looks at it! 😉

SmartBones are a healthy alternative to rawhide chews, and our dog absolutely loved them!

Learn more about SmartBones and the PetMatrix commitment to quality by visiting SmartBones.com and following them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Enter to Win:

One lucky MomStart reader will win a $25 Visa gift card and a variety of SmartBones chews!

To Enter:

Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. Giveaway ends on August 31st at 11:00 PM PST, and is open to US residents only, 18 years or age or older; sorry, no PO boxes. Please see the Rafflecopter widget for full details, and click here to read our giveaway rules. The SmartBones information, product samples, and gift cards have been provided by PetMatrix.

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Green Tip: Reusing Dog Food Bags

April 30, 2016 by Beeb 1 Comment

Repurposing a dog food bag as a trash bag

Product provided.

People think of “Going green” as a new trend, but talk to any person who lived through the Great Depression and they’ll tell you that “Waste Not, Want Not” has always been their mantra. Reducing waste and repurposing old items is the foundation of an eco-friendly lifestyle, after all!

When I was at my Grandma’s house last weekend, I noticed yet another ingenious thing she does to reduce waste. As I’ve mentioned, we receive shipments from Just Right by Purina every month for the family dog, Bob, which features the most adorable custom dog food bags. While Grammy has saved a couple of these as keepsakes, she goes through many of them every month. That’s why I thought it was so smart when I walked into her pantry and noticed a small pile of flattened, empty bags next to the dog food supply. Why? Because these bags are the perfect size for her kitchen trash can, so she uses them as a trash bag before throwing them away. What an easy way to reduce waste!

Of course, Bob is always very happy every time these bags are emptied, because it means his favorite food is going into his bowl!

Have you picked up any “Green” tips from your grandparents?

Give a Dog a Bone With Petco Repeat Delivery! #PetcoDelivers

April 26, 2016 by Beeb 143 Comments

This blog post is part of a paid Megan Media and Petco Repeat Delivery blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.

I love ordering things online because it saves me so much time running to the store. My grandma feels the same way, and tries to buy in bulk to reduce the number of store trips she has to make. In fact, the last time she bought bones for the family dog, Bob, she loaded her cart up with a bunch of them and said that the checker gave her a funny look for buying so many all at once! But who wants to run to the store constantly? Grammy is still very active at 86 year old, but driving all over town and lugging heavy bags around is not the easiest thing for her to do. And with as busy as I am with work and travel, I also try to stock up at the store for both of us when I can.

That’s why we are loving Petco Repeat Delivery, a brand new service we discovered that allows you to automatically re-order your favorites from Petco and have them delivered straight to your door. It’s simple: Just visit the Repeat Delivery page and browse the selection to find what you need. Select how often you’ll need to reorder your item – products can be delivered as often as every two weeks, or as far out as once every 12 months – then place your order, sit back, and let Petco take care of the rest! And even better, you can save up to 20% off on select items just for using Petco repeat delivery. Grammy spends a fair amount of money caring for Bob, so whenever we can cut costs on his necessities, we definitely take advantage!

Since Bob goes through so many bones each month, we both figured this was the perfect time to set up a recurring order so that Grammy wouldn’t have to keep running to the store (and getting those funny looks from the cashiers). I opened up my laptop, clicked through the selection of dog treats on the Petco Repeat Delivery page and found a good selection of bones to choose from. Grammy helped me cherry pick Bob’s favorites, from ham bones to a 2lb “Mammoth” bone – that ought to keep him busy for a while! 😉

Once I had what I wanted, I went through the checkout and my order was on its way. Quick, easy, and done – no store trip required. As a bonus, since this was my first Repeat Delivery order over $39, I received a $30 eGift Card that I can put towards my next order. eGift Cards can be applied to shipping and tax (if applicable to your state), so this will come in super handy next month. Money and time saved!

The order arrived quickly, and Bob was so excited! He even helped us open the box in record time.

Once he had torn the box open, Bob was anxious to see what was inside!

We laid the bones out on the floor and let Bob choose one to taste test. It was a tough choice, but he eventually settled on a delectable Wild Boar dog bone. Mmmmm!

If you have a furbaby and are tired of pushing shopping carts full of bones around, then I’d recommend checking out Petco Repeat Delivery to make life easier! First time Repeat Delivery customers will receive a $30 eGift Card on their $39+ purchase through May 21st, and eGift Cards are applicable to most things – excluding donations, backorders, or the purchase of other gift cards – so it’s the perfect time to cross one more thing off your list. I know Bob is certainly happy that we did!

“Thanks for buying me my favorite bones!”

Enter to Win:

To make things even more fun, one reader who leaves a comment below will be eligible to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

To Enter:

Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter this giveaway. This giveaway is administered by Megan Media, so please see widget for full terms and conditions.

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Thanks again to Megan Media and Petco for sponsoring this post!

Bob’s Squeaky Toy Portrait

January 7, 2016 by Beeb Leave a Comment

MomStart is a Just Right by Purina ambassador.

Every month, we receive a shipment of Just Right by Purina in the mail. It’s so convenient to have Bob’s food delivered directly to our door – no shopping trip required! Over the holidays, I also received a special gift in the mail for being a Just Right ambassador. It contained this fabulous squeaky toy with a drawing of Bob’s face on it – it’s uncanny how much it looks like him!! But he didn’t stay still for long after we snapped the photo…

Bob, making a lunge for the toy 😉

And since Bob gets to enjoy his favorite treat every month when his Just Right shipment arrives, they thought they would also send us a special “Human treat” just for Grandma: A box of adorable chocolates shaped like puppy faces!

Thank you, Purina!